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Education

Likely GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson appeared on the American Family Association’s radio network today to promote his book, “You Have a Brain: A Teen’s Guide to Think Big.”

“We live in a culture of heavy indoctrination, it starts in preschool and people try to influence the way people think about things,” Carson told host Ed Vitagliano. “I think it was Stalin who said, ‘Give me the children for a few years and I will have them for life.’ And the point being that it is relatively easy at that inflexion point to indoctrinate people and to change their way of thinking for the rest of their lives.”

In his 2012 book “America the Beautiful,” Carson was caught plagiarizing from the website socialismsucks.net in a passage criticizing the supposed socialist indoctrination taking place in schools:

Anytime you give to government the responsibility and authority to provide government-made jobs, old-age financial security, “free” health care, and “free” education and indoctrination of children, it will control the lives of the people who live under its jurisdiction, and individual liberty and freedom of choice are sacrificed.

Sure, there are several different brands of socialism — at least as many types as there are would-be people-planners who wish to impose their plans to control the moral and economic lives of other people. But are you willing to surrender your precious liberties to a socialist state which promises “security” for everyone and government-enforced equality? Isn’t this what Hitler and other socialists promised the German people in his Nazi (national socialist) platform — a country in which government guarantees security and “equality” in exchange for giving up individual freedom? Will Americans fall for the same scam?

Earlier this week, the Fox affiliate in Kansas City, Missouri, ran a report alleging that a local middle school student had been told by his teacher that he was not allowed to read his Bible in school during his free time:

The parents of a middle school student are upset because they say a teacher told their 12-year-old son he couldn’t read his favorite book in school, his Bible. The parents say their son’s fundamental rights were violated.

Loyal Grandstaff’s parents say they’re taking a “grand stance” to stand up for their son’s freedom of religion after they say a teacher told their son he couldn’t read his Bible in school.

Loyal says he loves reading his Bible and decided to bring it to school before the Christmas break so he could read it during his free time. But the seventh grader said his teacher told him it wasn’t allowed.

“I like to read my Bible because it’s a good book,” Loyal said.

He said he wasn’t reading out loud and said he wasn’t sharing the Bible with his classmates.

“I was just reading, just reading because I had free time. A time to do what I wanted to, so I just broke it out and read,” he explained.

“I feel like it violated his freedom of religion but also his freedom of speech,” Loyal’s dad, Justin Grandstaff, said.

A public school principal in Missouri pushed back against a middle school student’s claim that a teacher banned him from reading the Bible in school, claiming that the incident did not unfold as was alleged and that students are more than welcome to read their Bibles in school.

Lance Tobin, principal of Bueker Middle School in Marshall, Missouri, told TheBlaze on Friday that claims made by Loyal Grandstaff, a 7th grader at the school, had not been substantiated when a local outlet published them and that the situation has since been resolved.

“We just all agreed and we talked about school and religion,” Tobin said. “And I wanted to make sure that they were comfortable understanding that their child could have the Bible at school and could read the Bible at school.”

Tobin, who declined to go into specific detail when asked why the family alleged that a teacher had banned the 12 year old from reading the book if that story wasn’t accurate, said that going public with the claims was likely “something that [the family] felt like they needed to do at the time.”

When asked how the teacher accused of banning the Bible is faring in light of the attention the situation has been given, the principal added, “There is no teacher involved whatsoever.”

Tobin added that he was frustrated that WDAF-TV, a Kansas City-based Fox affiliate, aired the story before he had a chance to look into it, but affirmed that the situation has concluded. He would not comment when asked if the story was fabricated.

A rather manic Glenn Beck spent an entire segment of his radio broadcast today speaking with a woman who posted a message on his Facebook page about how her daughter's kindergarten teacher had reportedly told her students not to listen to anyone who was not their teacher. Even worse, this teacher was also allegedly refusing to honor the pilgrims during a class segment on Thanksgiving on the grounds that they were "terrorists."

Beck, of course, was absolutely infuriated by these anecdotes, saying there were analogous to the Hitler Youth and declaring that the only solution was to get rid of the Department of Education entirely.

"There is no reform that is going to be good enough," Beck announced. "You have to shut down the Department of Education. It must be turned off ... The only way is to shut down the machine. You have to reboot the entire system and wipe the hard drive. That's the only way":

Starnes told host Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, that he suspected that school officials were worried that the student’s t-shirt would persuade so many students to become abstinent that they would lose out on the profits they apparently earn through distributing “free condoms.”

“Here’s my take on it, I thought it was interesting, [the student’s mom] said what’s really interesting is that any child in that junior high school can go to the counselor’s office and ask for and receive free condoms and yet her daughter cannot wear her pro-abstinence t-shirt in the public school,” Starnes said. “Here’s what I think the issue is Tony Perkins, I believe that maybe they were concerned this pro-abstinence t-shirt might cut into this school’s condom profits.”

Sadly, Starnes never bothered to explain exactly how students being convinced to remain abstinent would undermine the school's ability to profit from providing free condoms:

The Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins wants parents to understand the grave dangers of public education before school starts this year, warning in his radio commentary today that schools are inundated with “propaganda on everything from sex education to homosexual history.”

He advises listeners to learn about the “liberal landmines” in public schools before educators work to “undermine what you believe.”

It may be the kids who are heading back to school — but it's parents who need to do their homework! Hello, I'm Tony Perkins with the Family Research Council in Washington. You've bought the books and you've packed their lunch, but there's one thing kids shouldn't leave home without and that is your values. These days, all sorts of negative influences are pushing their way into the classroom and undermining what you believe. Students are exposed to propaganda on everything from sex education to homosexual history -- and it's becoming tougher for parents to navigate the liberal landmines. FRC wants to help by giving parents some free back-to-school resources. Log on to tonyperkins.com today and you'll be able to download pamphlets like "Homosexuality in Your Child's School" or "Common Core Math" and "Common Core English." The only way we can help our kids tackle the tough questions is by getting involved in what they're learning. On family values, parents are more than our first teachers -- they're our last defense.

Harvey attacked Gay-Straight Alliance clubs for supporting “the deviance of homosexual behavior for vulnerable kids” and promoting “homosexual perversion.” She also said that “wild liberals” on school teaching staffs plan to “normalize deviance.”

Later in the radio bulletin, Harvey said educators who make available “pornographic,” “anything-goes,” LGBT-inclusive literature — which she described as “trash” — are harming children: “Who cares if they have nightmares, panic attacks or go into deep depression?”

The right-wing group Truth In Action Ministries is out with a new film warning parents that public schools are run by gay rights activists who are out to destroy religious freedom. The film features such experts as radio talk show host Janet Parshall and conservative legal activists Greg Baylor and Dee Wampler.

“So, mom and dad, if you have a school district where in fact they are introducing pernicious ideas that are antithetical to the word of God, then you are going to ask yourself who you are going to serve: Mammon or God,” Parshall asks.

Wampler, for his part, quotes Patrick Henry in urging students to refuse to complete class assignments dealing with gay rights issues, which she alleged violate their First Amendment rights.

Tony Perkins today emailed members of the Family Research Council a conspiratorial message on the supposed dangers of Common Core, or as he calls it, “Obamacore.”

He warns that Common Core is pushing “attacks on religious values and freedoms” and using “propaganda” to ensure that “children are indoctrinated with a liberal ideology that celebrates sexual perversion, worships the creation rather than the Creator, all at the expense of academic achievement and our nation’s Christian heritage.”

In just a few short weeks, millions of American students will head back to school. You should be very concerned about the spreading, hidden nightmare facing them in school today: public schools, private, religious, even home schools.

I'm not talking about bullies, playground predators, or school violence; I'm referring to . . .

The morally corrupt federal takeover of education called Common Core -- or as I prefer to call it -- OBAMACORE.

Common Core was originally an effort by the National Governors Association (NGA) to create national standards and tests to unify what children are taught in school. These standards were adopted by 45 states. Seems harmless enough, right? Wrong!

Since it's been hijacked by the Obama administration, Common Core has all the earmarks of the President's other power grabs: attacks on religious values and freedoms; central control; secrecy; skyrocketing costs; and catastrophic ineptitude.

It essentially takes away the rights of parents and local communities to direct their children's education and puts it under the control of an ever-expanding federal bureaucracy. Obamacore can -- and must -- be stopped!

Yes, stopped. Family Research Council (FRC) needs your help to advance our plan to expose and derail this disaster for our children!

If Obamacore is allowed to take control of America's educational system, I foresee a nation where children are indoctrinated with a liberal ideology that celebrates sexual perversion, worships the creation rather than the Creator, all at the expense of academic achievement and our nation's Christian heritage.

All indications are that the standards imposed by Obamacore will actually hamper education rather than improve it.

Obamacore opens education to even more propaganda in class than we are experiencing today. Its "one-size-fits-all" approach not only eliminates more advanced material, but also makes it difficult for teachers to teach students individually. Typical of other liberal programs, rather than raise up underperformers, Obamacore will lower standards of higher-performing states in order to "level the playing field."

The only way to save American education is for parents to take back the reins of control. That's why FRC has made it a top priority to work state by state and in Congress to save local education from the federal control lurking behind Obamacore.

• We have started a special coalition headed by nationally recognized educational and legal expert, Sarah Perry.

• FRC is providing conservative legislators at the federal and state levels, school administrators, teachers, and parents with key research that conclusively proves that this federal takeover will do more harm than good.

FRC helps give elected officials the information they need to build a compelling case with their colleagues to dismantle Obamacore, or at the state level, opt out.

Needless to say, the time to act is short and the costs of opposing Obamacore are mounting quickly.

No one will be exempt.

The future of America's children is at stake. As Christian citizens, we must never relinquish the education of our children to the federal government, which already has an abysmal track record wherever it has inserted itself.

In the past, parents concerned about what is being taught in the public schools could always resort to private schools or home schooling. Not anymore! The Obamacore standards will impact charter schools, parochial schools, and even parents who teach their children at home. Join with FRC to stop Washington radicals from taking over American education.

The Republican National Committee recently condemned the College Board’s AP U.S. History exam framework for its purported anti-American bias, and it comes as no surprise that the resolution is identical to resolutions sponsored by Religious Right groups like Eagle Forum and Concerned Women for America that regularly assert that public schools engage in anti-American brainwashing.

Tamara Scott, Concerned Women for America’s Iowa state director, introduced the resolution [PDF], which calls for a congressional investigation into the exam’s framework, as can be seen below.

WHEREAS, Almost 500,000 U.S. students take the College Board’s Advanced Placement U. S. History (APUSH) course each year which has traditionally been designed to present a balanced view of American history and to prepare students for college level-history courses;

WHEREAS, the College Board (a private organization unaccountable to the public) has recently released a new Framework for the APUSH course that reflects a radically revisionist view of American history that emphasizes negative aspects of our nation’s history while omitting or minimizing positive aspects;

WHEREAS, the Framework includes little or no discussion of the Founding Fathers, the principles of the Declaration of Independence, the religious influences on our nation’s history, and many other critical topics that have always been part of the APUSH course;

WHEREAS, the Framework presents a biased and inaccurate view of many important events in American history, including the motivations and actions of 17th-19th-century settlers, American involvement in World War II, and the development of and victory in the Cold War; and WHEREAS, the Framework describes its detailed requirements as “required knowledge” for APUSH students, and the College Board admits that the APUSH examination will not test information outside this “required knowledge”;

WHEREAS, because the Framework differs radically from almost all state history standards, so that APUSH teachers will have to ignore their state standards to prepare students for the AP examination, the Framework will essentially usurp almost all state history standards for the best and brightest history students; and

WHEREAS, the College Board is not making its sample examination available for public review, thus maintaining secrecy about what U. S. students are actually being tested on; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Republican National Committee recommends that the College Board delay the implementation of the new APUSH Framework for at least a year, and that during that time a committee be convened to draft an APUSH Framework that is consistent both with the APUSH course’s traditional mission, with state history standards, and with the desires of U. S. parents and other citizens for their students to learn the true history of their country; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Republican National Committee requests that state legislatures and the U. S. Congress investigate this matter; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the Republican National Committee request that Congress withhold any federal funding to the College Board (a private non-governmental organization) until the APUSH course and examination have been rewritten in a transparent manner to accurately reflect U. S. history without a political bias and to respect the sovereignty of state standards, and until sample examinations are made available to educators, state and local officials, and the public, as has long been the established practice; and be it finally

RESOLVED, that upon the approval of this resolution the Republican National Committee shall promptly deliver a copy of this resolution to every Republican member of Congress, all Republican candidates for Congress, and to each Republican state and territorial party office.

Hopeful that “young people are seeing the ‘Obamanation’ and they don’t like it,” former House GOP leader Tom DeLay is calling on conservatives to “take our schools back” from left-wing brainwashers.

“Our children are being brainwashed by the left in our universities and in our public schools, and I hope the next president of the United States will realize that we have to pay attention to what is going on in our schools and what is happening to our children,” he said in his weekly commentary for the Washington Times last week.

He noted that discussions over impeaching and removing President Obama from office should only happen after the 2014 elections: “The American people need to speak, and when they speak then you can make those decisions early next year as to what to do about it. I agree with pat, this is not the time to be talking about impeachment. Even though I’d love to impeach him, I’d love to remove him from office.”

People For the American Way Action Fund today endorsed a slate of young progressive candidates running for the Michigan State Legislature. The endorsements are part of PFAW Action Fund’s Young Elected Progressives (YEP) program that supports progressive candidates age 35 and younger. The Michigan candidates endorsed today are a diverse mix of progressive leaders who are positioned to make Michigan’s legislature be more inclusive and accountable.

“These candidates are the best and brightest young progressive candidates running for the legislature in Michigan,” said PFAW Political Director Randy Borntrager. “They are people-oriented folks from all walks of life who will fight for social, economic, and environmental justice, and promote equality for all. Their leadership in their communities demonstrates a progressive vision that will benefit all Michiganders.”

People For the American Way Action Fund is proud to endorse the following Michigan YEP candidates for 2014:

People For the American Way Action Fund today announced its endorsements of a slate of young progressive candidates running for the Michigan State Legislature. The endorsees include a diverse mix of 35-and-younger candidates running for the Michigan state House of Representatives and state Senate, representing a new generation of progressive leaders who will put Michigan’s legislature back-on-track towards a common sense, inclusive, accountable public policy agenda for the state’s future. Their leadership represents a progressive vision that will benefit all Michiganders as they fight for social, economic, environmental justice and equality for all.

The endorsements are part of People For the American Way Action Fund’s Young Elected Progressives (YEP) program. YEP evaluates and endorses young progressive candidates age 35-and-younger in their bids for elected office around the U.S. at all levels.

People For the American Way Action Fund is proud to endorse these Michigan YEP candidates for 2014:

Stephanie Chang – MI House District 6

Running for Michigan’s House of Representatives District 6, Stephanie Chang is a Michigander whose dedication to the community has benefited many. Chang has worked around the state advocating for Affirmative Action, serving as a mentor for Detroit Asian Youth Project, and promoting a fair justice system. Chang’s knowledge and breadth of experience in Michigan make her an important leader for the state as she fights for social, economic, and environmental justice. Visit Stephanie’s page for more details.

Jon Hoadley – MI House District 60

Jon Hoadley is the clear choice to represent Michigan’s 60th District in the state House of Representatives. Hoadley, a small business owner and member of several advocacy organizations in Kalamazoo, is deeply ingrained and in tune with the needs of his community, which makes him the ideal representative. He has already worked to better Kalamazoo advocating for full LGBTQ equality, creating strong and sustainable public schools, and protecting the environment. Visit Jon’s page for more details.

David Knezek – MI Senate District 5

David Knezek is running for Michigan state Senate’s 5th District and has proven that he is the ideal candidate for the position. Knezek is a true leader, having been promoted to the rank of Sergeant during his time in the U.S. Marine Corps. At the University of Michigan-Dearborn, he was elected Student Government President, and in his senior year of college he was elected to be a Michigan state representative. Knezek has proven that he will advocate for his community and improve education, public safety, and job opportunities for Michigan citizens. Visit David’s page for more details.

Kristy Pagan – MI House District 21

Born and bred in Michigan, Kristy Pagan is the ideal candidate for the 21st District of Michigan’s state House of Representatives. She has worked in Washington, D.C. as a legislative aide and a national grassroots organizer. Her determination to serve coupled with her knowledge of and dedication to Michigan will serve the state well. Pagan is a true progressive, and has both the resolve and the passion to reform Michigan’s educational system, advocate for women and children, and improve job growth. Visit Kristy's page for more details.

Rebecca Thompson – MI District 1

Rebecca Thompson is running for election to the 1st District of the Michigan state House of Representatives. Thompson was born and raised in Detroit, and overcame experiences with poverty and homelessness to become a leader in the community. She has worked tirelessly to better Detroit for everyone, using her own experiences to positively impact those around her. Thompson is passionate about affordable education, improving safety, protecting women’s rights, and advocating for her community. Visit Rebecca's page for more details.

Robert Wittenberg – MI House District 27

Robert Wittenberg is running to represent District 27 in the Michigan state House of Representatives. After being inspired by his parents’ and brothers’ work, he is determined to follow in their footsteps and serve his community. As a public servant, he advocates for full equality for the LGBTQ community, increased public transportation, and access to healthcare for all. Visit Robert's page for more details.

Today People For the American Way Action Fund announced its endorsement of Ariana Kelly for delegate in Maryland’s 16th Legislative District.

Ariana Kelly currently serves Maryland’s 16th District in the House of Delegates. She is one of six primary candidates for the three delegate seats. First elected in 2010, Kelly is the former national campaign director for MomsRising.org. Prior to that she served as executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland, and served on the board of directors of the Democratic Women’s PAC of Maryland. A lifelong Democrat and native of Bethesda, Kelly is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

As delegate, she has been a strong advocate for women’s rights, education, and access to healthcare. She serves on the health and government operations committee, the insurance subcommittee, and the bi-county agency committee. Kelly was named Legislator of the Year by the Mental Health Association of Maryland, won the Young Woman of Achievement Award from the Women’s Information Network, and is secretary for the Women Legislators of Maryland.

“Ariana Kelly is a committed champion for women, survivors of domestic violence, and children, who has established herself as a true leader,” said Randy Borntrager, PFAW Political Director. “She is a true progressive leader who will fight for a better future as delegate.”

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins is urging parents across the country to pull their children out of public schools in response to a Washington, D.C., principal’s decision to come out to his students and school staff.

The principal of Woodrow Wilson High School in Washington D.C. publicly announced that he is gay at a Pride Day event yesterday, thanking students and community members for their support.

Perkins was of course appalled, urging his Washington Watch listeners yesterday to pull their kids from public schools: “If you have your children in the public schools, unless you’re in a district where you know exactly what’s going on in some rural part of the country where values are still embraced, you really need to think about whether or not you want to expose your kids to what’s happening in our public school system. I would encourage you to look for other alternatives.”

“Eighty-three percent of the students coming out of the District of Columbia are not proficient in reading skills, but they know how to celebrate gay pride,” Perkins said. “As we drop further and further in the global ranking of math and science scores, at least our kids will understand sex-ed. Amazing.”

Infuriated by the state Department of Education's approval of a textbook that he felt was baised in favor of Islam, Florida state Sen. Alan Hays introduced legislation giving local school districts the power to choose their own textbooks.

The legislation was signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott last month and today Hays was the guest on "WallBuilders Live" to discuss his effort where he declared that the election of President Barack Obama is proof positive that our entire educational system is fundamentally broken.

Obama's election, Hays said, "is an indictment of our educational system in this country," explaining that "it's because our students have not been properly educated that somebody with that kind of resume could even be considered a candidate, much less elected."

"It's an embarrassment to all of us," Hays concluded and host Rick Green completely agreed, saying that Obama's election "shows that we've dumbed down the education system to the point that our people do not now know to measure a candidate against the values upon which a constitutional republic can survive":

A new report from the Texas Freedom Network Education Fund details how a pilot high school curriculum developed by Hobby Lobby’s president Steve Green is loose with the facts and flouts constitutional boundaries on religious instruction in public schools and is loose with the facts.

TFN’s report [PDF], authored by Southern Methodist University religious studies professor Mark Chancy and released today, details the numerous ways in which the Green-backed curriculum tried to “promote particular religious viewpoints” in its presentation of the Bible, closely following the teachings of “some, but not all, conservative Protestant circles.”

Chancey writes that the curriculum, called “The Book: The Bible's History, Narrative and Impact,” “builds its case for this view on oversimplifications, misrepresentations, logical fallacies, and outright mistakes,” and takes its “cues from the literature of conservative Christian apologetics rather than academic scholarship.”

The report details how Green’s curriculum plan credits the Bible for ending slavery and bans on women voting, while also citing Albert Einstein in an attempt to confirm Creationism and favorably comparing the neo-Confederate film “The Birth of a Nation” to the biblical book of Exodus.

Contrary to the claims of many Religious Right activists, neither the Bible nor prayer are banned from public schools. However, schools are not allowed to write or organize prayers, and similarly cannot use lessons on the Bible to promote or discourage religion.

The curriculum, however, follows Green's lead by strongly affirming the Bible's complete accuracy. For example, it presents Adam, Eve, and all other biblical characters unambiguously as historical personages. It frames stories of God's interactions with various characters in such a way as to suggest that those passages, too, reflect historical events. (“Was Moses mentally unstable? No. His titanic swings of emotion and behavior sprang from his special call to stand in the gap between God and the people.”) “Travel through Time” sections found throughout the book encourage students to read biblical passages not only as reflections of the ancient cultures that produced them, but also as accurate historical accounts. The book also unquestioningly affirms traditional claims about the authorship of biblical books (i.e., Mosaic authorship of the Torah) without alerting students to the fact that much of the scholarly community as well as many Jews and Christians reject such claims for many books.

At one point, Albert Einstein makes a surprising appearance to shore up a biblical story's seeming inconsistency. To reconcile Genesis's description of the creation of light on the first day of creation with the fact that the sun is not created until day four, the book appeals to the Theory of Relativity: Because “energy and mass are equivalent and transmutable” and “all matter is also energy,” then “could it be that creation begins with the advent of energy?” Such reasoning, it suggests, “seems to correlate nicely with the Big Bang Theory of creation, a mighty explosion releasing tremendous amounts of energy.” The section closes by asking, “Could it be that light on day one refers to the initial energy [of the Big Bang] released into our cosmos?” This is obviously an impossible interpretation to attribute to the authors of Genesis or to any readers before 20th-century scientists developed the Big Bang theory. Its function is to attempt to reconcile a six-day creation and modern science, an urgent concern for religious communities that associate the Bible's authority with its complete accuracy.

…

The curriculum argues similarly, suggesting that the Bible is the source of women's suffrage, abolition, freedom of the press, and equal rights. Juxtaposing American freedom with the denial of civil rights elsewhere (“in some nations, women ... are not even allowed to drive a car or go outside their houses alone”), it urges, “Let us hope that winds of change will continue to bring to these countries the loving example of a thirsty rabbi,” that is, Jesus. The implication is that equality in America is not only a fully accomplished project but also one for which the Bible deserves primary credit, practically to the exclusion of the rest of the Western philosophical tradition (particularly Enlightenment thought). Such comments tend to mask the unfortunate fact that in both the past and the present, the Church has all too often not lived up to the egalitarian ideals the curriculum attributes to Jesus.

…

Constitutional issues aside, many of the book's remarks and mistakes are simply odd, often in ways that reflect only superficial knowledge of the matter under discussion. For example, is its passing observation that first-century CE Samaritan women could not vote meant to imply that democratic rights were widespread elsewhere in the ancient world? Elsewhere, the course wrongly defines the Jewish Sabbath simply as Saturday, rather than from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Its brief discussion of the American Civil War rightly names slavery as a principal cause, but a nearby caption instead characterizes the issue as achieving “civil rights” for southern slaves, an understatement of slaves' needs if ever there were one.

On a related note, many film buffs will not miss the irony of the curriculum's blithe suggestion that the Book of Exodus, which tells the story of the ancient Hebrews' deliverance from slavery, “could be titled The Birth of a Nation (like the American film classic).” D. W. Griffith's 1915 movie about the Civil War and its aftermath famously portrayed freed slaves as brutal, uncivilized, sexual aggressors. Originally known as The Clansman, it lionized the Reconstruction-era Ku Klux Klan and helped spur the creation of the modern Klan. The movie concludes its approving portrayal of violent Klan suppression of African Americans with a hopeful vision of a peaceful, heavenly future for whites under the watchful care of Jesus. Needless to say, the curriculum's passing comparison of Exodus to this movie is an unfortunate and inadequate introduction for high schoolers to this particular episode of film history.

People For the American Way is launching a Spanish-language radio ad today challenging North Carolina Senate candidate Thom Tillis and his extreme stances on education, healthcare, and tax breaks for the rich. The ad will air starting today in Charlotte, Greensboro, and Raleigh.

“Thom Tillis has pushed an extreme agenda throughout his career,” said Randy Borntrager of People For the American Way. “He’s given tax breaks to the most privileged of our society while raising taxes on middle class families, and wants to roll back critical health care protections for families. Thom Tillis’ dangerous agenda is too extreme and Latino voters deserve to know what is at stake this election.”

The ad is the latest in PFAW’s campaign to connect with Latino voters in key states, exposing the extreme views of GOP candidates. (An English translation of the ad is available below. You can hear an English version of the ad here.)

ROSA: As a mom, a woman, a Hispanic, I do not support Republican Thom Tillis.
And I never will.
Because I will never support a person that cuts public education funds and reduces social spending on health.
Who does this gentleman think he is?
It's obvious that he does not understand nor value the importance of education and doesn't support our kids future.
But what does he do? He supports tax breaks for the rich with yachts and airplanes.
Thom Tillis, please!
Set your priorities straight!
Plus, he wants to take away health insurance from those who have it.
The health insurance that I, and seven million Americans, finally have, and that protects us and our families.
Look, North Carolina is our home.
And Republican Thom Tillis is against everything that's important for Hispanic families. Starting with a better future for our kids.
And if he's against that, I'm against him.
As easy as that!
VO DISCLAIMER:
Paid for by People For the American Way (www.pfaw.org) and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. People For the American Way is responsible for the content of this advertising.

The following is a guest post from Florida State Senator Dwight Bullard, a member of affiliate People For the American Way Foundation’s Young Elected Officials Network.

Six decades ago the nation said “separate, but equal” is separate, but it certainly is not equal. This week we celebrate the 60 year anniversary of the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. Brown gave our nation the opportunity to show the world that we are as good as our promise. And while the impact of this groundbreaking decision cannot be overstated, a quality education is still not a guarantee for African American and Latino students today.

In my state of Florida and across the country, students of color continue to be underserved by our school system. Recent data from the Department of Education highlights massive racial inequalities that persist six decades later. Beginning in preschool, African American students are suspended disproportionately – a distressingly early start on what many have characterized as the school-to-prison pipeline. Students of color are more likely to have lower paid teachers and fewer course options.

Undocumented students also face serious barriers in our education system. In Florida, undocumented students do not receive in-state tuition at state universities and colleges. Florida’s DREAM Act would fix this, allowing undocumented students who attended a Florida high school for at least three years to receive in-state tuition to attend one of Florida’s public colleges or universities.

Our students’ success or failure is incumbent on each and every one of us. As a teacher and as a member of the state Senate’s education committee, I know that building strong communities, a strong economy, a strong electorate, and a strong country requires investments in a public education system that works for all students. When we fail to fight for equal educational opportunities, our democracy is at risk. If we hope to improve our future, we must realize we are only as successful as our least privileged.

On the anniversary of the Brown decision, May 17th, I will join over 120 young elected officials from all corners of the nation to discuss and build education policy together. We will honor this moment in history through continued action to improve our children’s education system. We will do this because our kids deserve the chance to be their best, and because our future will demand it of them.

MassResistance head Brian Camenker is furious that several corporations are sponsoring a youth summit organized by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN). The Religious Right activist told WorldNetDaily yesterday that the companies are supporting “massively destructive and offensive things.”

Earlier this week, Camenker's group issued a report warning of GLSEN’s “radical homosexual and transgender psychological propaganda” in schools: “It has set up ‘gay straight alliance’ student clubs (GSAs) inside thousands of high schools (and even some middle schools) across the country. GLSEN pushes a wide range of psychologically penetrating homosexual and transgender programs activities into the schools, such as the controversial ‘Day of Silence.’”

“It should outrageous and terrifying to families that these companies, which they trust to do business with, spend their money on such massively destructive and offensive things such as GLSEN,” said Brian Camenker, founder and leader of Mass Resistance.

“Over the years, they are probably the most vicious and aggressive group pushing the homosexual agenda in schools,” he said.

…

“They train kids that parents are stupid and ignorant and it is gay activists that are really the wise ones,” he said.

The instructions are “coming to your school soon,” the organization advised.

GLSEN, Mass Resistance said, is the nation’s largest homosexual and transgender activist organization working inside schools in all 50 states.

“It has set up ‘gay straight alliance’ student clubs (GSAs) inside thousands of high schools (and even some middle schools) across the country. GLSEN pushes a wide range of psychologically penetrating homosexual and transgender programs activities into the schools, such as the controversial ‘Day of Silence.’ It also directly organizes and trains teachers to integrate their techniques throughout the curriculum. Founded in the early 1990s by super-activist Kevin Jennings, it has a multi-million dollar budget, lavishly funded by corporate America and private foundations.”

The report says taxpayer dollars for the events come from the Massachusetts Commission for GLBT Youth.

“Unfortunately, most people – and especially most parents – have no idea the extent of the radical homosexual and transgender psychological propaganda being pushed at children in their schools, much less what’s going on behind the scenes. We hope to begin to remedy that,” the Mass Resistance report said.

“We are the majority, the people who believe in the [conservative] values you were just talking about are the majority of people in this country, but we’ve allowed the elite, the academic progressive elitist left to ram all this stuff down our throat and we just take it,” Santorum said. “We need to take it back. We need to say, why is the Bible not taught in schools? They’ll say, ‘oh Lars this is terrible.’ The Bible is the basis of Western Civilization.

Larson agreed, “I would do it, I would require it, I’d love to see that.”

“Right,” Santorum responded, before discussing how “we need to give parents control of the education system in this country.”